Coauthors also wrote Pioneer Women: The Lives of Women on the Frontier and Women in Waiting in the Westward Movement: Life on the Home Frontier. The authors also included a very helpful index. ( )

FRONTIER CHILDREN relates one of the most neglected subjects relating to the American frontier, the hardships and also the fun children endured settling and living "out west". Written records and journals are a necessary component of historic research, but in the case of children, especially Indians and African Americans, such resources are virtually nonexistent. Despite this limitation, the authors have been able to reconstruct stories of children on the frontier from later-life memories and from oral history transcripts. A particularly noteworthy feature of this book is the coverage given to children of color. Another bonus is the discussion of issues ranging from Indian schools to clothing.

Oftentimes, children were the lone survivors when one or both parents died mysteriously of unknown causes. Also revealed is the joy of family life and the few pleasures they shared. Excellent use is made of photographic evidence, which is quite extensive. Reproduced in this volume are more than 200 vintage photographs as well as several line illustrations. This book offers a comprehensive study of the American west and its forgotten children.

My grandmother traveled across Oklahoma and Texas in a Conestoga wagon with her parents and seven siblings. She and her brother used to spellbind me for hours with stories of ‘soddy’ houses, hungry roaming ‘Indians’, railroad towns and cattle ranching. When I found this book, it made me smile, since I have a closer than average link to these children. I’m planning to give this book to my grandson when he gets a bit older. I’m also typing up some of those glorious stories my ‘Gramma’ told me. ( )